Disposable superabsorbent articles, such as diapers, for example, have been popular for some time. Generally, such a product includes an absorbent core which is sandwiched between a liquid pervious layer and a liquid impervious layer.
One problem with disposable as well as with prior art cloth diapers is their inability to prevent rewetting. By rewetting is meant the recontacting of waste liquid which is contained in the absorbent core with the skin of an infant, for example. Because of the weight and the activity of the infant, a portion of the liquid is caused to flow from the absorbent core. The liquid penetrates the adjacent water pervious layer which is adjacent to the infant's skin and hence contacts the infant's skin. As should be apparent, this causes discomfort for the infant and may cause skin irritation, for example.
The foregoing problem has been overcome with a disposable diaper which comprises a water pervious layer, and a spongy, resilient and compressible, hydrophobic fibrous barrier layer. Also included is an absorbent core and a water impervious layer. Such a diaper is useful to minimize contact of waste liquid material in the absorbent core portion with the infant's skin and to provide a diaper having improved air circulation and an air cushion feel for the infant. Such a diaper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,792 which also discloses that the diaper has improved strength in the area of the diaper pin or tab. Also, the physical form of retention capacity of the diaper following urination by an infant is excellent because of the resiliency of the diaper. When the infant urinates, the urine passes through the water pervious layer and fibrous layer into the absorbent core where it is absorbed. The weight of the infant tends to compress the barrier layer causing the fibers to become intermeshed. This reduces the void volume of the layer and forms a seal or barrier against re-entry of urine into the water pervious layer.
The problem with the just described diaper and others on the market is that, although it solves the rewetting problem, the addition of the barrier layer adds excessive bulk to the diaper. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,410. As a result, the infant is encumbered with a bulky diaper which may cause fitting problems with respect to clothes.
What is needed and what seemingly does not appear in the prior art is a trim, relatively thin disposable superabsorbent article which may be used as a diaper, for example. The sought-after disposable superabsorbent article should be one which is effective to absorb body liquids such as waste liquid materials and which prevents rewetting.